How cold weather effects your balls.

[CMNI]

An interesting title normally gets a little attention.

I was at the range last night and the temp. was around -1 -2 Degrees C*. Now while I was nice and warm, the air was still and freezing, as was the ground and the range balls. The mat was absolutely soaking.

Having only been playing just short of a year now, I have never practiced in the cold let alone played. Every single ball I hit with my irons last night was poker straight, however it was the most frustrated I have ever been at the range. For example I normally hit my 7 145yards, last night I was averaging 120 and at the max it just rolled past the 125 marker. Loss was consistent across all my clubs.

Was I having an off night, or can the cold weather really effect your balls that much? :smirk:

I'm playing on Sunday, does anyone have any tips (providing it is the cold and not me) to help get my yards back?

 

[Oddsocks]

There was a video on YouTube a few years back where balls were kept at room temp overnight and others were kept in a household fridge to resemble a car boot overnight in the winter

The difference in the 2 different balls where scary. Since then I've always kept my bag indoors in the cold months

 

[delc]

In cold conditions you have three things working against you:

1) The air gets denser, so the golf ball flying through the air suffers more aerodynamic drag.

2) The golf ball itself gets less resilient.

3) Your muscles work less well when cold.

It is worth using softer than normal golf balls in the winter and pre-warming them overnight before use. Keep several in a trouser pocket and swap them between holes to slow down the rate at which they cool down. You are not allowed to artificially warm golf balls during the round btw, so no use of hand warmers for this purpose.

 

[Oddsocks]

And putting them in the footwell of the car or on the car heater on the way to the course won't either :thup:

 

[CMNI]

There was a video on YouTube a few years back where balls were kept at room temp overnight and others were kept in a household fridge to resemble a car boot overnight in the winter

The difference in the 2 different balls where scary. Since then I've always kept my bag indoors in the cold months

Thanks, don't suppose you know the video?

 

[MashieNiblick]

I know it used to make a huge difference in the olden days of wound balls. I assume there there still is a difference but wonder if different balls are affected differently (e.g. premium vs distance, hard vs soft).

I've also often wondered how quickly a ball kept warm overnight cools down on the course. I know it's not permitted to use something to artificially warm balls during a round (e.g. with a hand warmer - decision 14-3/13.5) but I assume it is OK to put some balls warmed prior to a round in an insulated bag or pocket and use a fresh warm one every few holes. I know some people put a ball in play and keep one in a their pocket and rotate them between holes.

 

[Oddsocks]

Thanks, don't suppose you know the video?

Trying to find now, I'm sure the differences was 20-30 yards on a drive

I would also factor in that range balls with worn out dimples and a lower grade ball as a rule would see big drop offs

 

[Pin-seeker]

Mine definitely shrink.

 

[Hallsy]

Thanks, don't suppose you know the video?

heres a video
https://uk.video.search.yahoo.com/s...=e8cd93e3cb871bdd9826ef5f96b5f20d&action=view

 

[patricks148]

most range balls would prob go less distance than a normal ball, or at least they do at the range in Inverness. As you go down the bag, for instance wedges will still go about the same distance, but as you progress the distance drops slightly.

cold wise i think the Prov 1 's optimum temp is high 20's and its gradual loss as you get lower below that. At the moment up here you are lucky if a 5 iron will go 150 in the air, its 0 with a NE that gives a wind chill of -2 maybe, so the ball goes nowhere.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I was at the range last night. I wasn't worried by distance as I knew the range balls off a damp mat with a rusty swing weren't going to fly far. For me it was about dispersion and quality of strike akin to finding some tempo again as I've hardly played or practiced in the last few weeks

 

[Oddsocks]

most range balls would prob go less distance than a normal ball, or at least they do at the range in Inverness. As you go down the bag, for instance wedges will still go about the same distance, but as you progress the distance drops slightly.

cold wise i think the Prov 1 's optimum temp is high 20's and its gradual loss as you get lower below that. At the moment up here you are lucky if a 5 iron will go 150 in the air, its 0 with a NE that gives a wind chill of -2 maybe, so the ball goes nowhere.

Sounds like you were flushing that 5i :rofl:

It funny we quote optimal temp for a pro'v being mid 20's yet most people play them all year round.

Give me a pinnacle gold or topflite magna!

 

[Hacker Khan]

Mine definitely shrink.

Be dum tish, beat me to it.

 

[Imurg]

Balls are optimised to work at 70°F and above.
Above 70 makes no difference
Every 3°F below 70°F loses you about a yard.
So at 32°F ( freezing point) you're 38° below optimum so you will lose approximately 12 yards on a shot compared to the same shot at 70°F.
This is purely down to the temperature, other things can make the difference even bigger...

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Tbh I haven't ever really seen much difference with the ball in the air - the only difference I see when the conditions change are how the ball reacts when it lands - that's where the distance changes for me

 

[Joff]

Tbh I haven't ever really seen much difference with the ball in the air - the only difference I see when the conditions change are how the ball reacts when it lands - that's where the distance changes for me

I'd go with that. Bounce and roll, or plug!

 

[Foliage Finder]

I've been so inconsistent at the moment it's hard to tell! The ball never gets above shin-height off the tee, can I blame the weather conditions?

 

[srixon 1]

It is harder to compress a cold ball so it will not fly as far. If you think it will make a difference then store your golf balls in the airing cupboard..

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It is harder to compress a cold ball so it will not fly as far. If you think it will make a difference then store your golf balls in the airing cupboard..

No good once you put them in your bag in minus conditions. I know a few people that keep a spare ball in their pocket and alternate them on every hole. I don't see the point as once you've hit it and it's sat on a cold fairway the heat (such as there was) has gone anyway

 

[huds1475]

I hit a 9i about 170 today in sunny Manchester